Despite the assurance of Japanese government officials, radioactive material from the Fukushima disaster has spread far beyond the evacuation zone. In fact, not only has a great deal of Fukushima radiation been detected in Tokyo way beyond the evacuation zone, but United States researchers are now revealing that radioactive cesium has been detected in US soil in levels that indicate a severe threat to human health.

Marco Kaltofen, PE, of the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Massachusetts, recently discussed current issues revolving aroundradiation exposure in Japan.
A Registered Professional Engineer investigating Fukushima nuclear material release, Kaltofen stated his findings in a presentation entitled ‘Radiation Exposure to the Population in Japan After the Earthquake’. Presented in Washington D.C. on Monday morning, Kaltofen stated:

The Fukushima nuclear accident dispersed airborne dusts that are contaminated with radioactive particles. When inhaled or ingested, these particles can have negative effects on human health that are different from those caused by exposure to external or uniform radiation fields.

A field sampling effort was undertaken to characterize the form and concentration of radionuclides in the air and in environmental media which can accumulate fallout. Samples included settled dusts, surface wipes, used filter masks, used air filters, dusty footwear, and surface soils.

Isolated US soil samples contained up to 8 nanoCuries per Kg of radiocesium, while control samples showed no detectable radiocesium.

Fukushima disaster affecting United States citizens

Researchers from UC Berkley also released some startling information regarding radioactive cesium. UC Berkley found the highest cesium content in topsoil for each California location sampled was quite consistent:

Sacramento, CA Topsoil on Aug. 16, 2011: Total Cesium @ 2.737 Bq/kg

Oakland, CA Topsoil on Sept. 8, 2011: Total Cesium @ 2.55 Bq/kg

Alameda, CA Topsoil on Apr. 6, 2011: Total Cesium @ 2.52 Bq/kg

San Diego, CA Topsoil on June 29, 2011: Total Cesium @ 2.51 Bq/kg

Sonoma, CA Topsoil on Apr. 27, 2011: Total Cesium @ 2.252 Bq/kg

The levels that Kaltofen reports are in fact much higher. The highest cesium levels of any topsoil measurements by UC Berkley since the beginning of the Fukushima disaster was 2.737 becquerels/kg in Sacramento. This is the equivalent to 73.9 picocuries/kg. (The conversion is: 27 picocuries = 1 becquerel). Kaltofen recorded cesium levels as high as 8 nanoCuries per Kg of radiocesium. This is equal to 8,000 picocuries/kg. (Conversion: 1 nanocurie = 1,000 picocuries).

The highest findings by Kaltofen were 108 times greater than the reports by UC Berkley researchers. You can view the entire ‘Radiation Exposure to the Population in Japan After the Earthquake’ slideshow on the Fairewinds website.

In the United States, it is a different story. It is a public health issue and not a personal health issue. What that means is that we will never know who is the individual who got cancer from Fukushima. But we can be sure that the radiation did reach here and that there will be an increase in cancers, especially on the West Coast where the Rocky Mountains stopped most of the radiation and deposited it on the ground.